A resume gets about a minute of a recruiter’s time – TimesJobs did a study to reveal the skills and experience that are critical in grabbing their attention and bagging the job.
June 06, 2017: Hiring managers have a tough task of scanning through hundreds of resumes to find a suitable candidate for each job vacancy they need to fill. They have barely a minute to scan each resume before making a decision to make the shortlist. In order to better understand their criteria for shortlisting resumes and selecting the candidates, TimesJobs undertook a study with inputs from 690 hiring managers and recruiters to reveal what they look for in a resume.
Be Specific to the Job
“Even though, most candidates will have the skills required for the job they apply for, the challenge lies in highlighting the right ones. Care must be taken not to fill up the skills section of your resume with a bunch of skills that have absolutely nothing to do with the job you are applying for. Even for the skills you are including, you need to substantiate them. Therefore, it is not just important what skills you include in your resume, but equally how you highlight them,” says Ramathreya Krishnamurthi, Business Head, TimesJobs.
TimesJobs’ study revealed that each jobseeker must customize his/her resume and highlight their unique skills and experience that are specific to the job they are applying for. Nearly 40% recruiters say, focusing on skills relevant to the job offered is the best way to be shortlisted.
Another 36% hiring managers state that highlighting universally desired skills such as analytical skills, teamwork and leadership that are appropriate to the job, helps make a resume stand out.
Including skills that provide value-additions to the job profile applied to is what 35% of recruiters advise. For example, a candidate applying for a banking job can include his/her experience using financial data analysis software, even if it is not stated as a requirement.
Researching profiles of professionals who work on the same job that is being applied for helps candidates understand what skills recruiters deem as essential say 26% hiring managers.
A resume can stand out in the crowd by adding statistics or numbers to skills suggest 21% of recruiters. Such as, substantiating skills and experience with measurable results is a good way to attract a recruiter’s attention.
And 20% of recruiters advise adding relevant keywords for skills helps increase the visibility of the resume, especially when they are scanning a database of many profiles.
Soft Skills are Critical
60% of hiring managers say that while domain knowledge is important, non-technical skills or soft skills are critical while hiring a candidate.
Among the host of soft skills that recruiters desire to see in a resume, the top three are communication skills, leadership skills and teamwork. Here are the multiple choices of their preferences –
- 33% of recruiters feel communication skills are crucial
- 30% of recruiters look for leadership skills
- 26% of recruiters consider teamwork & collaboration skills as pivotal
- 22% of recruiters focus on analytical skills
- 20% of recruiters give more weightage to adaptability, and
- 17% of recruiters say planning and strategic thinking skills are important
The resume is the first point of contact between a candidate and an employer – and making this first impression a good one is critical in getting ahead in one’s career. This study by TimesJobs serves as a guide to reveal those skills that can give candidates the competitive edge needed to rapidly enhance their careers.
About TimesJobs.com:
TimesJobs.com, a flagship business of Times Business Solutions (TBS), is a platform to help competent professionals make smarter career decisions. With over 25 million registered jobseekers across the board and more than 60 million page views every month, it is fast becoming the most preferred career portal among the candidates.
TimesJobs is leading in the recruitment and employment space with its pioneering and dynamic divisions because it successfully meets all the needs of the jobseekers. Its major platforms include:
- TechGig: India’s biggest dais for tech professionals to help them Learn, Showcase & Compete in the IT industry.
- JobBuzz: A well-known portal that provides information & insights about different companies, job profiles and interview processes.
- StepAhead: StepAhead offers Professional Resume writing and distribution services, career astrology, resume improvement to help jobseekers accelerate their career.
Also, TimesJobs has the largest collection of jobs in the market, which ensures that whenever and wherever there is a great opportunity, jobseekers will discover it on the platform.
In the recruitment market as well, being the biggest platform for competent professionals who think of their careers first, TimesJobs has become the destination of choice for recruiters who seek to engage with the right talent.